Showtime Boss: 'Jesus Will Not Be on Dexter'

Don’t let those “Dexter will battle faith in Season 6″ reports fool you: Showtime boss David Nevins assures fans and (religious) critics alike that the Dark Passenger will not, in fact, physically throw down with a God-like entity. We’ll give you a second to compose yourselves after that jaw-dropping scooplet…

“Jesus will not be on Dexter this year,” Nevins deadpanned at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour on Thursday. This declaration came on the heels of a journo implying that Dexter Morgan’s religious exploration in the upcoming season — and as evidenced in the latest trailer , which features the song “Personal Jesus” — is in some way blasphemous or controversial.

Rather, it’s quite the contrary. According to Nevins, the faith storyline is really designed to present Dex with the following dilemma: “What does it mean to raise a child given the Dark Passenger I’m carrying around with me?”

Previewing the season to come, Nevins promised “a larger, criminal story with [guest stars] Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos that has its own spiritual significance. The killings Dexter is following [unravel] in a Dan Brown (The DaVinci Code) sort of way, where there are clues to be followed.” It should be noted that mystery has shrouded the roles both Hanks and Olmos are playing, since their castings were announced earlier this summer. But based on Nevins’ statements, it seems safe to assume they’re both involved in the killing game to some extent.

To conclude, Nevins offered a tease seemingly unrelated to — though equally intriguing — Dexter‘s Season 6 spiritual dealings: “There are things that happen this year that will set up new life for the show.”

Thoughts on Dexter and Harrison’s religious journey? What are your theories on what big things Nevins might be referring to?

I never thought there’d be jesus or a sudden conversion in Dexter’s Season 6. And I am glad. I think, it’s going to be interesting the whole dark passenger, raising a child, Def’s character thing.
Cannot wait!

I watched the first 5 seasons of Dexter in June. I have loved every season and really enjoy how each season not only includes the intrigue & suspense of the crime but also there is some personal discovery Dexter makes about himself in his role as a human being. I’m sure this season will be no different. I can’t imagine anyone thinking any of the previous seasons “sucked”. :)

I was really shocked by the backlash at season 5. Well, I expected people to be skeptical after how awesome Trinity in season 4 was, but I loved the character development and emotional growth Dexter had with Lumen, and do not understand the hatred for it. And I DID watch it week to week, loving every episode. (Full disclosure though, I do love Julia Stiles so I am biased.)

Zach, Julia Stiles did an excellent job and I was rather intrigued by her character, but the series as a whole just wasn’t as compelling, and there were many gaping plot holes that just took me out of the show’s magic (e.g. why would Deb let the two killers go based on an unsubstantiated *assumption*?). Also, after series 4, I expected them to quit the happy-ending, everything-neatly-resolved routine, but series 5 gave us exactly this…again.

I do hope Olmos’s participation will bring some of the spark back, and I am definitely going to watch the whole series, but I’m more sceptical than I was a year ago.

The Trinity season was amazing for sure but I really like the journey Dexter goes on every season and the things he discovered through his situation with Lumen was just as good to me. I think the actor’s ability to communicate it all to us as well as the narative, is so satisfying for me…as a viewer…. :)

Season 5 of Dex was treding water. I’ve heard people say they watched it all in a few sittings and enjoyed it. However, for those of us waiting week to week it was incredibly slow and felt like it never took off. I loved Season 1, 2 and 4. I want that quality of Dex back. I’ll tune in but when one of your selling points is that season 6 will make for much more interesting seasons to follow, I’m not impressed. Why don’t you just say those things happened during the break and give us the interesting seasons you are planning now?